American wife of former Moscow 1st Vice Prime Minister jailed for 11 years

The Moscow Basmanny Court gave an in-absentia sentence to Janna Bullock, the wife of Alexei Kuznetsov, the former First Vice Prime Minister of the Moscow Region. The US citizen has been jailed for 11 years after she had been found guilty of stealing over 11.000.000.000 rubles ($195m) from the region’s budget.
Interfax reported the news.

It was established that Bullock and her accomplices stole receivables from utility companies between 2005 and 2008 and property of the Moscow Region Mortgage Corporation and OJSC Moscow Regional Investment Trust Company.

The trial was held in absentia, since Bullock is hiding abroad.

The woman was ordered to reimburse the damage for a total amount exceeding 9.000.000.000 rubles ($160m). Bullock's property that has been seized will be used to cover the claims: two hotels somewhere in France, an apartment in Paris, a villa in San Tropez, a yacht, a few expensive cars, paintings and sculptures.

Earlier, Russia had issued an arrest warrant for Bullock, but the US refused to extradite her. In 2013, France detained her husband on Russia’s request, but the extradition issue has not yet been resolved.